help...12 day old chick still has pasty butt

[Mamachick26]

I am at a loss......I have 7 chicks born in my incubator 12 days ago. All are doing fine, eat, drink, run, sleep, stretch and grow. They are inside the house in a 40''x 40'' wooden box under a red heat lamp; temperature is fine. They have lots of room. I read all the forums and discussions on pasty butt for help. I put ACV in water and change the water many times a day. But this last little one is not growing, I constantly have to clean his little butt multiple times a day over a bowl of warm water with cotton ball. I have tried giving corn meal three times which they devour and it has helped the little one. I have tried a cooked mashed egg which they did not touch at all. Should I give more cornmeal? Will he get better? I don't know what to do anymore...loosing it...so worried.

 

[CuzChickens]

Oh No! Molasses is great for chicks with pasty butt! It is a laxative that thins their poop so it does not stick. Mix it with their water, they love the water and it works! You can also sprinkle Cayenne pepper on their food. Good luck with it!

 

[Eggcessive]

I am at a loss......I have 7 chicks born in my incubator 12 days ago.  All are doing fine, eat, drink, run, sleep, stretch and grow. They are inside the house in a 40''x 40'' wooden box under a red heat lamp;  temperature is fine.  They have lots of room.  I read all the forums and discussions on pasty butt for help. I put ACV in water and change the water many times a day. But this last little one is not growing, I constantly have to clean his little butt multiple times a day over a bowl of warm water with cotton ball.  I have tried giving corn meal three times which they devour and it has helped the little one. I have tried a cooked mashed egg which they did not touch at all.  Should I give more cornmeal?  Will he get better? I don't know what to do anymore...loosing it...so worried.

Welcome to BYC. Chicks really need a balanced chick starter grower to eat, not corn meal. But a few drops of molasses may help. What temperature is your brooder in the hottest part with a thermometer on the floor? Too much heat, dehydration, and the feed could be possible causes. An 85 degree incubator decreasing to 80 when they are 3 weeks old and always having a cooler spot to go to is great. You probably already know all this. Clean the vent with soap and warm water, and dry thoroughly. A QTip with a drop of vegetable oil on the vent may help.

 

[sdaikus]

I had the same issue.. I put coconut oil on mine to help prevent anything from sticking and after a couple days she was fine.

Hope this helps!

 

[junebuggena]

How warm is it under the heat lamp, and how cool is the rest of the brooder? With enclosed, box-style brooders, it's very difficult to warm just one small spot and have the rest be cool enough using a heat lamp. The heat lamp tends to heat the whole brooder producing a sort of 'oven' effect, where the chicks just can't get away from the heat properly to self regulate. You may want to check out brooding using heating pads.

 

[Mamachick26]

Welcome to BYC. Chicks really need a balanced chick starter grower to eat, not corn meal. But a few drops of molasses may help. What temperature is your brooder in the hottest part with a thermometer on the floor? Too much heat, dehydration, and the feed could be possible causes. An 85 degree incubator decreasing to 80 when they are 3 weeks old and always having a cooler spot to go to is great. You probably already know all this. Clean the vent with soap and warm water, and dry thoroughly. A QTip with a drop of vegetable oil on the vent may help.

Thank you Eggcessive. The chicks eat balanced chick starter from feed store but I gave corn meal because I read that it could help with pasty butt. As for the heat, it is just perfect for them because they are all in a circle; they are not directly under the red heat lamp nor too far away. They run around alot during the day and play and stretch. Tonight I placed a little piece of sod for grit. I will try your suggestion for molasses. I will also clean his vent with warm soapy water instead of just water. And olive oil instead of vaseline.